Think of World Vision next time you eat a packet of crisps...

Peter and his family have sponsored Garik for the last 3 years and Peter has just come back from his second visit to Armenia. He wanted to share his experiences of a second visit (and a growing and maturing sponsored child) with you all:

I recently travelled the north eastern part of Armenia to see 13-year-old Garik who we have sponsored as a family since 2010. As well as seeing Garik, my trip also gave me the opportunity to see some of the many projects supported by World Vision Armenia. This wasn’t my first trip to the country and I was looking forward to seeing Garik and his mum again as well as witnessing the progress of the Area Development Programme – “Will to Create a Blessed Future.”

Garik

It was a real joy to see Garik and see how he had grown and developed since my last visit. He was more relaxed, chatty and animated.

As well as catching up on things he and his family had been doing, we played a game of boules (left). I forget whether it was him or his mum who won. I’m sure Garik and his friends will have many happy hours playing this together.

Through the work of World Vision, Garik and his friends have seen improvements to their local school and members of his community have received animals that can be used for their produce or grown to sell.

During the afternoon, I visited a community of 650 people including 132 children, where I was taken to the local surgery, which had recently undergone some renovations, paid for by World Vision. The nurse explained how the new waiting room made the wait more comfortable for patients during bad weather. The nurse went on to explain how she met regularly with new mums and their babies to ensure they were developing satisfactorily and were immunised against childhood diseases.

Tigran and Rafaet 

Whilst in the village, I met Tigran who is a social worker and the visible face of World Vision in the village. His job is to be the link between the World Vision Field Office and the sponsored children within the many communities they serve.

Tigran oversees the welfare of the children and he also supports them with writing letters to their sponsors. The bond between social worker and child extends to the family unit and the wider community.

Moving on from the village centre, I met Rafaet and saw his ‘green garden’ which was full of tomatoes, strawberries and lettuce, to name a few. World Vision supported him to set up his ‘green garden’ and in return all the produce he grew for the first three years had to be given to the local community free of charge. After that Rafaet was free to sell his produce as a business.

This is a key part of the World Vision strategy, to support individuals and the wider community to achieve economic independence.

Later on, I met a family who had just received some hens from World Vision. They were clearly still adjusting to their new surroundings as the owner told me they weren’t laying as many eggs as their existing hens.

Haghpat Monastery 

After returning to my B&B for an amazing meal, international company and Armenian hospitality, I was off to bed before returning to the World Vision field office to meet up with Garik and his mum again the following morning.

We travelled to Haghpat which hosts a UNESCO registered monastery to join a group of 30 or so children during their summer camp where the local priest, Father Aspet hosted them.

While there, I saw the Forum Theatre, which stimulates open dialogue and discussion on various social issues experienced by the children. They not only learn about their civic rights and responsibilities, but practice critical and creative thinking for finding alternative solutions to a variety of issues.

Here you can see Marianna (right), who is the field office’s Sponsor Coordinator as well as being an excellent host for my two-day-visit, taking the children through various scenarios to allow them to put into action what they had learnt.   

I asked the group how many of them would have felt comfortable to challenge their teacher on things they were being taught before taking part in the Forum Theatre. There was the odd raised hand. I then asked how many of them now felt confident in being able to challenge having been part of the Forum Theatre and the majority of them raised their hands.

After saying goodbye, Garik, his mum and I joined the World Vision staff in having a look around the beautiful monastery.

Before leaving I met some local women who had been able to make purses, bags and other items on a weaving frame supported by World Vision as they were displaying the results of their labours, for sale outside the monastery, where I hope the UNESCO status of the monastery will attract more than passing trade. I’m sure the two pairs of socks I bought will come in useful.

Reflections 

It was sad to say goodbye to Garik and his mum. I am so pleased to have met the amazing staff who not only support many communities but also looked after me during my two days with them and showed me some of the excellent work that is being delivered to improve the health, education and economic opportunities for children and their families in some of the world’s most deprived communities. I took photographs at the end of the visit, which will form part of the many happy memories I have taken back to England.

I really enjoyed my visit and very much look forward to returning. I would encourage child sponsors to give serious thought to visiting the Area Development Programme where their sponsored child lives, to meet them and their families and the World Vision staff who really are empowering poor communities of the world to play an active role in improving the quality of life for themselves, their children and the wider community.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before leaving home to make this trip to Armenia. Travelling on my own to a country where very little English is spoken and the infrastructure is not what we in the west consider every day, but I was rewarded with lifelong memories of what can be achieved if we just take a moment to think of others. I know things are difficult at home at the moment, with challenges around jobs, pensions and increased prices, but we are so very lucky. Just remember, for the price of a packet of crisps a day, you can make a massive difference to so many lives...

Thanks so much to Peter for sharing his story. We also love the happiness sponsorship brings to him and his family. What's the best thing about child sponsorship for you? Tell us on our Facebook page.